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How To Prevent Your Travel Trailer From Tipping Over

May. 14 2024 Ownership Tips By Jim's Trailer Sales

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One of the most common dangers associated with hauling a travel trailer is the RV tipping over. If your travel trailer tips over, it’s likely to result in injury to you and your passengers, as well as damage to the camper itself. If you’re interested in learning more about how to prevent your travel trailer from tipping over, check out this guide from the experts at Jim’s Trailer Sales.

Tipping Risk Factors

While travel trailer designers and manufacturers do what they can to make RV models safer, accidents still happen. The larger the travel trailer, the greater the chances that it will tip over. The best way to prevent your travel trailer from tipping over is to know the risk factors and mitigate them. 

Issue 1 - Trailer Sway

The Cause: 

  • The travel trailer sways mid-transit due to a broken hitch or improper weight distribution.

How To Prevent: 

  • Perform a quick inspection on your travel trailer’s hitch before each towing.
  • Practice proper weight distribution strategies to ensure that everything is balanced.

Issue 2 - Tire Blow Out

The Cause:

  • Your travel’s trailer’s tires can blow out due to being overinflated, underinflated, or in poor overall condition.

How To Prevent:

  • Check the tire pressure on your travel trailer’s tires before each trip. Adjust and replace your tires as needed.

Issue 3 - A Sudden Stop

The Cause: 

  • Suddenly braking while hauling your travel trailer, resulting in a sharp and sudden stop.

How To Prevent:

  • Increase your following distance while hauling your travel trailer.
  • Avoid suddenly slamming on your brakes.
  • Hitch up your travel trailer and practice slowing down/stopping in a safe place like an empty parking lot. 

Issue 4 - Taking A Corner Too Fast

The Cause:

  • Not slowing down as you take a corner, resulting in a very sharp turn.

How To Prevent:

  • Begin slowing down a little before you actually start turning.

Issue 5 - Ice Patch

The Cause:

  • Cold conditions result in the road being icy and thus slippery.

How To Prevent:

  • Wait for the bad weather to clear up before attempting to haul your travel trailer. 
  • If you have no choice but to haul your travel trailer through icy conditions, take things a little slower than usual.

Issue 6 - Excessive Wind

The Cause:

  • Winds of 55 MPH or more can cause your travel trailer to tip over.

How To Prevent:

  • Avoid hauling your travel trailer on windy days. If possible, find a place to pull over until the wind dies down.

Shop travel trailers at Jim’s Trailer Sales in Grafton, Ohio. We’re proud to serve communities like Cleveland, Ohio. We also offer RV parts, servicing, and financing.